Titanium and zirconium ketimide complexes: synthesis and ethylene polymerisation catalysis

The syntheses of ketimide titanium complexes of the type Ti(NC^tBu₂)₃X (X = Cl, Cp, Ind), Ti(NC^tBu₂)₄ and the zirconium complex CpZr(NC^tBu₂)₂Cl are described. When activated by MAO, all compounds are ethylene polymerisation catalysts. In the conditions studied, the most active catalyst is CpZr(NC^tBu₂)₂Cl, with an activity of 2.7 × 10⁵ kg/(molZr E] h). Titanium complexes are less active by about two orders of magnitude. The polyethylene produced is linear, as determined by NMR spectroscopy. Molecular structures of Ti(NC^tBu₂)₃X (X = Cl, Cp, Ind) and Ti(NC^tBu₂)₄ were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction.